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If you have already been torn between the emotional attraction of a large novel and the rich details of a true, historical story fiction offers the best of both worlds. This beloved genre has real parameters, events and eras of the past and weaves them in tales of pages full of drama, love, grief and resilience.

And in 2025, historical fiction has a major moment. From longtime bestsellers to new buzzing versions, readers are rediscovering the power of well-told stories in the past, especially because they reflect timely themes that still resonate today.

Whether you want a romance from the Second World War, an epic journey through ancient civilizations or a captivating look at the complicated history of America, this list includes the most convincing historical fiction books that deserve to be added to your shelf. Everyone promises to transport you to another time while offering a new perspective on the present.

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No historical fictional list is complete without the inclusion of Margaret Mitchell Epic scanning range during the American civil war and reconstruction. The book is not what a quick reading would be considered - because it exceeds 1,000 pages - but that has not dissuaded decades from readers to dive.

On 30 million copies of Gone with the wind were sold at the turn of the 21st century, and it was translated into 40 different languages. Although it is not without controversy, the book and the award -winning film of 1939 of the same name are among the most famous titles on this list.

Sell more than 200 million copies since its first publication in 1859, Charles Dickins ’ A story of two cities is undoubtedly the most famous on this list. The story is divided into three books and taking place in London and Paris at the time of the French Revolution (1775 to 1793).

It was adapted for the scene and the screen - and which can forget these first famous words: "It was the best time, it was the worst sometimes."

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The six wives of King Henry VIII are a perfect fodder for a convincing novel, with Anne Boleyn No doubt the best known. As such, she is an appropriate main character for Philippa Gregory 2001 Historical fiction novel The other girl Boleyn , which is even more interesting because it presents Sister of real life ,, Mary Boleyn , like another of the King's love interests.

Historical accuracy is risky, to say the least, and Cinematographic adaptation was a flop . However, the book was a n ° 1 New York Times bestseller.

Things collapse , the 1958 novel by the Nigerian author Chinua Acoube , follows the story of Okonkwo, a warrior and an African leader. It took place in the 1890s in the middle of the arrival of white missionaries and British colonizers. The work of Achebe was appointed one of the 12 novels considered to be " The biggest books ever written And has also become a reading required in schools and universities in the country.

Addressing its longtime fame, it was announced last year Things collapse will be Adapted in a television series of the production company A24, with Idris Elba Like Okonkwo.

Although you may be more familiar with the successful torrid television program, like so many things, Outland was a book first. The titular novel, published in 1991, takes place in two different periods: Scotland of the post-secret world war and 18th century. The protagonist Claire Randall is a nurse in Britain of the 20th century, but things take a tour when she involuntarily goes up two centuries in time.

The series should include 10 novels, including Diana Gabaldon published new. Outland is one of the best -selling books of books of all time, with around 25 million copies sold.

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Taylor Jenkins Reid Historical fiction novel 2017 The seven husbands of Evelyn I did not make huge splashes during its first publication. But a few years later - in 2020 and 2021 - the book exploded on social media platforms, namely Tiktok, with readers delirious on the novel.

The story follows the fictitious film star Evelyn Hugo and is told through flashbacks to his career during the golden age of Hollywood. A cinematographic version is in preparation for the bestseller, Netflix developing the project.

Dan Simmons is probably better known for Terror , a work of historical fiction which turns into the supernatural when a monster attacks the condemned men of the lost expedition of Franklin to find the passage of the North West.

The abominable , whose title refers to the Yetis haunt the Himalayas, first sounds as if it could be too supernatural to qualify for this list, but it is largely a very anchored story on mountaineering, full of adventure, colorful characters and many research on the history of mountain climbing.

Recently adapted in A Netflix mini-series ,, All the light that we cannot see Follows Marie-Laure Leblanc, a blind French woman living in Saint-Malo after the Nazis invade Paris, and Werner Pfennig, a pupil of the German military school.

This novel winner of the Pulitzer Prize explores the themes of war and human nature, and author Anthony Doerr received praise for his sensory writing style.

Ian McEwan’s The 2001 acclaimed novel follows Briony Tallis, a wealthy English girl in the 1930s who, in a misunderstanding who is not entirely innocent, to her lover of her older sister Cecilia Robbie in prison by identifying him as the author of an assault he did not commit.

The fallout from this accusation continued in the Second World War and beyond, Briony finally realized that she ruined the life of Cecilia and Robbie and that she wants to atone for - if it is even possible. The book has been adapted in an Oscar -winning film with James McAvoy ,, Keira Knightley , And Saoirsle Ronan .

Patrick O’Brian Series of nautical history novels, starting with the years 1969 Master and commander , is extremely daddy's driver , but the call is widespread. Located in the Napoleonic wars, the series follows Captain Jack Aubrey de la Royal Navy and the surgeon of his ship, Stephen Maturin, a strange couple who embarks on many adventures at sea together, serving the king and the country.

Russell Crowe And Paul Betany Played like the pair in a cinematographic adaptation which drew three of the books: Master and commander: the gap in the world .

The film was acclaimed by criticism but did not have the success necessary to launch a film franchise. Fortunately, there are 21 pounds in the Aubrey / Maturin series for fans of the time and the nautical spirit of O’Brian.

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Margaret Atwood of The history of the servant The fame has written this novel of 2000 on a pair of sisters whose life in a port city in Ontario extends over almost a century of Canadian history.

Intertwined is a novel with a novel, the holder Blind assassin , a luscious science fiction book one of the sisters has written that has links with their real relationships.

David Benioff , better known now as half of the creative duo behind HBO Game of Thrones , wrote a historic fiction novel acclaimed in 2008 before moving to television.

Located during the headquarters of Leningrad during the Second World War, Thieves Follows two boys responsible for obtaining a dozen eggs for a member of the Russian secret police - stated that in the besieged city.

Thieves has been cited as an inspiration For video games The last of us , which was adapted in another HBO success drama.

Please don't confuse Deadly Dead with its cinematographic adaptation The 13th Warrior , which is sadly One of the largest box office bombs in history.

The book, of Jurassic And The Andromeda strain author Michael Crichton , is an adventure tinged with horror. He follows a Muslim Arab from the 10th century who goes to the north and meets Vikings, documenting his trips with them. Their quest? Fight with a monstrous tribe, which is the attempted Crichton to make the story of Beowulf in semi-plausible historical fiction.

Robert Graves ’ The 1934 novel is written as if it were the autobiography of the Roman emperor Claudius , telling in a first (although fictitious) a story of the Roman history of the assassination of Julius Caesar to death from Caligula , Predecessor of Claudius.

The book, as well as its suite Claudius the god , were massive successes. Time appointed Me, Claudius one of his best 100 "everything TIME Novels ”, and it was adapted to an extremely popular mini-series by the BBC in the 1970s.

But now somewhat overshadowed today by the beloved musical ,, Victor Hugo The 1862 novel remains one of the most famous works ever published.

The book follows Jean Valjean, a former prisoner, and Javert, the police inspector who pursues him over two decades of French history, culminating in the June 1832 rebellion. Put them - What is more to say?

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Amazing, more than 50 million copies of the Italian author Ecoto Eco The 1980 novel has been sold internationally since its publication.

A mystery of murder, The name of the rose Follows a Franciscan brother who arrives in an Italian monastery in 1327 only to find suspicious and horrible murders that he must try to resolve. He mixes the historical whodunnit with medieval studies and biblical analyzes, which makes it an exciting and enlightening reading.

Another story of survival under occupation during the Second World War, Kristin Hannah The 2015 bestseller follows two distant French sisters who deal with the German invasion in different ways. Viann tries to keep her daughter - and possibly other children - as safe as in difficult circumstances. Isabelle joined the Resistance, finally obtaining the code name "Nightingale".

Pachinko is a story that covered a generation of a Korean family that emigrated to Japan after the peninsula annexing by the country in 1910, when the book begins. Sunja, the ostensible protagonist (although his parents and children are also major characters), faces racism and discrimination while his family tries to do.

The novel follows three periods, crossing the Second World War and ending in the late 80s. It was adapted in an Apple TV + acclaimed series.

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Ken Follett 1989 Romman concerns the construction of a large Gothic cathedral in 12th century England during a generalized civil war period.

Three characters - a devout and ambitious monk, a conflicting architect and a woman with a dark past - cross in this story of progress and intrigue.

This seminal American novel is one of the most sustainable works in the fiction of the civil war, and it was published for the first time that three decades after the end of the war. Henry Fleming, a young Union army soldier, flees the battlefield when he sees the fight for the first time, and this act of cowardice led him through the rest of the war.

Filled with captivating descriptions of battles and acute psychological understanding, Stephen Crane Red Badge of Courage is a classic favorite - and a school reading list - for a reason.

A truly unique work of historical fiction, Francis SPUFFORD Red abundance Add a fictitious story to what is otherwise a deeply studied and complete account of the planned economy of the USSR - in particular a point in the late 1950s where it seemed that the Soviet Union could be a flourishing and prosperous nation of the future.

The book is full of information as well as real respect for scientists and other Soviets who have reached the stars, touched them with Spoutnik and finally failed.

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James Clavell The 1975 novel was adapted to not one but two mini-series acclaimed, first in 1980 and again last year (some criticisms presented the FX version as one of the Best 2024 shows ).

Shōgun Use fictitious characters, although real historical characters, to tell how the Edo period started and the ambitious lord whose machinations amounted to the position of Shōgun inaugurated a new era for Japan.

Tim O’Brien The interconnected news collection blurs the border between historical fiction and autobiography.

His 1990 book on a peloton of American soldiers who fights in the Vietnam War is a captivating and lively memory of what it was on the field. That the protagonist of the book is also called Tim O’Brien is not an accident.

Colson Whitehead Makes a major change in fact historic in his 2016 novel: the holder underground railroad, the path that escaped slaves has taken to go from south to north, is redesigned as a real network of clandestine locomotives.

On this piece of fantasy, he tells a story that feels horribly real while the former slaves Cora and César try to go to security and true freedom.

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It is not exactly a windy reading, but Leo Tolstoy emblematic work of Russian literature, War and peace , deserves all the praise he has received in recent decades.

Published in its final version in 1869, the book recounts the French invasion of Russia in the Napoleonic era and how members of five families treat difficult times - the best of them and the worst of them.

Hilary Mantel 2009 novel Wolf room is a fictitious biography of Thomas Cromwell , the controversial leader of the era of the English reform.

Two suites, Ride the bodies And The mirror and the light , finish telling the story of Cromwell's life, full of dangerous intrigue and common policies.

Located in a multicultural district of Pennsylvania in the 1920s and 30s, this vibrating novel opens onto a mystery - a skeleton discovered at the bottom of a well. As the story takes place, McBride masterfully reveals the network of secrets, loyalty and silent resistance which links the community together.

With unforgettable characters, a Spirit -Sharp Razor and a deeply human objective on race, religion and injustice, it is historical fiction to its most sincere - and one of the most novels from 2023.

Extending from 1900 to 1977, this radical family saga traces three generations of a Christian family in southern India haunted by a mysterious affliction: someone in each generation dies by drowning.

Thanks to lyrical prose and richly drawn characters, Verghese explores the themes of medicine, caste, colonialism and love , all in the lush context of Kerala. You will be swept away by this monumental story of fate, faith and healing.